Toy gun



J. M. GUTHRIE 2,834,332

TOY GUN 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18, 1955 JOHN M. GUTHR/E',

INI/ENTOR HUEBNER, BEEHLER,

WORREL 9 HERZ] G,

TTORNEYS.

May 13, 1958 J. M. GUTHRIE TOY GUN 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1955I Inn JOHN M. GUTHR/E,

INVENTQR H UEBNER, BEEHLER,

WORREL d HERZIG,

lfTToRNEl/s.

May 13, 1958 J. M.`GUTHR1E 2,834,332

TOY GUN Filed July 18, 1955 5 sheets-sheet s JOHN M. GU THR/E'INI/ENTORk H UEBNER, BEEHLER, WORREL 9 HERZIG,

TTORNEYS.

Unite 2,834,332 Patented May 13, 1958 tice TOY GUN `lohn M. Guthrie,Pomona, Calif.

Application July 18, 1955, Serial No. 522,649

11 Claims.` (Cl. 124-13) This invention relates to guns and moreparticularly to a toy gun constructed and arranged to propel aprojectile by means of air pressure developed in the breech end of thegun.

The gun of this invention, when constructed as a toy cannon, isparticularly well suited for remote control operation thereof. Also, itmay be constructed as a toy pistol, for example, having a self-containedsource of electrical power for actuating the same.

It is an object of this invention to provide a lgun which propels aprojectile from the barrel thereof as a result ot' movement of thebarrel in the gun housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gun having certainelectrical elements therein by which the gun barrel is actuated to causepneumatic propulsion of a projectile.

It is another object of the invention to provide an electricallyactuated toy gun which -rnay be elevated, traversed, and tired by remotecontrol.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a toy gun of theabove mentioned character in which the barrel thereof is automaticallyloaded with a projectile lafter each ring thereof.

' Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear during thecourse of the following vpart of this speciiication, wherein the detailsof construction and ymode of operation of several embodiments thereofare described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a toy cannon embodying the invention, thecannon being housed in a'turret, which i5 shown in vertical longitudinalsection;

v Fig. 2 is a section through the gun turret taken substantially on line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the barrel and gun-breech por- .tio-n of thecannon on an enlarged scale;

-Fig4 is a section on a'still further enlarged scale ythrough `thebarrel and gunbreech taken on line 4-4 ofpFig. 3;

Fig. `5 is a central longitudinal section through the barrel andgun-breech portion;

Fig. 6 is a detail section on an enlarged scale through the projectileloading portion of a gun barrel and gunvbreech of ,modied form;

'Fig` 7 is a schematic wiring diagram of an electrical .circuit foractuating and controlling the toy cannon; and

Fig. 8 is a section through a pistol 'embodying the invention.

-j `Referring tothe drawing more in detail and with the use yofreference numerals, a gun turret,fshown in Fig. l,

13 ofthe turret through which the muzzle end of a gun barrel 14projects. The principal axis ofthe opening 12 extends -in a ydirectionfrom top to bottom of .the front wall to permit elevation and depressionof .the barrel as desired.

In addition to the front wall 13, the turretcomprises a E back wall 1S,side walls 16, top wall 17, and a floor 18. The turret is rotatablymounted on a standard 19 extend= ing upright from a stationary base Ztl.Fixed flat against the upper surface of the oor 18 and in the centerthereof is a Worm wheel 21, having a tubular pin 22 projectingdownwardly from the center of the wheel to -extend into the standard forrotatably supporting the turret on the standard.

For imparting traversing movement to the turret and thus to the gun,there is a worm gear 24 in mesh with the worm wheel 21. The worm gear isfixed on the end of a shaft 25 of an electric motor yrepresenteddiagrammatically at 2d which is connected into an electric circuit forenergization thereof, as will be described hereinafter.

The gun 11 includes a hollow gun-breech 28, open at its forward end forslidably receiving the gun barrel. Projecting from opposite sides of thegun-breech are two trunnions 29, which pivotally mount the gun on a lguncarriage. The gun carriage comprises two uprights 30 xed to the door 1S.One of the trunnions projects through the upright in which it isjournaled to rotatably support a Aworm wheel section 31 for elevatingand depressing the gun. The wheel section 31 meshes with a worm gear 32which is xed on the end of a shaft 33 of another electric motor,represented diagrammatically at 34.

The gun barrel is formed of non-magnetic material, e. g. hard plastic,and is cylindrical in the breech end portion thereof to lit snugly, butaxially slidable in the cylinder walls of the gun-breech 28, which isalso formed of non-magnetic material. ln the illustrated embodiment thebreech end of the barrel and the inside wall of the gun-breech arecircular in cross section. The rearward end of the gun-breech is closedby an end wall 37, which with the cylinder Walls of the gun-breechdefines an air chamber 38 yrearwardly of the barrel. Spaced from the endwall 37 is a circumferentially arranged series of elongate ports 39formed in the walls of the gun-breech. The principal axis of each ofthese ports extends longitudinally with respect to the `gun-breech.These ports allow air to be exhausted from the chamber (when the barrelis moved rearwardly in the gun-breech to a position where the barrelcovers the ports.

Reference numeral 41 designates the bore of the barrel extending axiallythrough the barrel. The bore 41 is conical as shown at 42 in the breechend thereof, and there is an annular restriction 43 in the bore at theinside end of the conical portion 42 for retaining a lpellet 44 in thegun bore.

As thus far described, it will be apparent that as the gun barrel ismoved rearwardly in the gun-breech from the full line position thereof,shown in Fig. 5, toward the broken line position thereof, air in thechamber 33 will be exhausted through the ports 39 until the barrelreaches a position where it covers the ports. Continued rearwardmovement of the barrel past the ports will cornpress the air in chamber38, and as the then only remaining opening for exhaust of air from thechamber ris through the gun bore, the air from the chamber will beforced out through the gun bore, blowing the. pellet out from thebarrel.

To impart rearward movement of the barrel in the gun-breech, the gun isprovided with a solenoid assembly' comprising a cylindrical plungersleeve 47 of magnetic metal and a coil 48. The plunger is fixed aroundthe barrel by being received in an annular recess 49 formed in theoutside surface of the barrel and spaced from the breech end of thebarrel, while the coil is wrapped around the gun-breech. `In theillustrated embodiment the plunger and the coil are substantially equalin axial length and they are spaced from the breech end of the barreland gun-breech, respectively, by a common distance, whereby the plungerwill be positioned coaxi-ally within the coil when the barrel is movedto a position where the breech end face of the barrel is closelyadjacent the inside face of the end wall 37.

For returning the barrel in the gun-breech to the full line position,`shown in Fig. 5, the gun is provided with a recoil mechanism comprisingapair of spring assemblies 51 disposed opposite to each other on thegun-breech. Each such assembly comprises a rod 52 ixed at one endthereof to a lug 53 projecting radially outwardly from the gun-breech.At its forward end the rod is telescopically received in a tube orsleeve 54, which in turn is xed at the forward end thereof to a lug 55projecting radially outwardly from the gun barrel. The sleeve 54 isaxially slidable in a lug 56 projecting outwardly from the gun-breechand spaced between lugs 53 and 55. At its rearward end the sleeve -54has an annular head 57 for compressing a coil spring 58 arranged aroundthe rod and engageable at its ends with the head 57 and the lug 53. Thereco-il mechanism serves to return the plunger 47 to a position wherethe plunger extends forwardly from the coil.

When the coil is energized, it will pull the plunger axially into thecoil to decrease the reluctance of the solenoid, thereby compressing thesprings 58. Upon de-energization of the coil, the springs 58 will returnthe barrel to the full line position thereof, shown in Fig. 5. Becauseof the inertia of the barrel, the rearward movement thereof in thegun-breech will be relatively slow immediately upon energizing the coil,and as the barrel slides rearwardly it accelerates in speed. The ports39 serve to allow flow of air from the chamber 38 during the initialstage of movement of the barrel. The ports do not become closed -by thebarrel until the speed of the barrel is relatively fast.v

Thus the pellet 44 will be blown from the gun bore at a time when thebarrel is moving speedily in the gunbreech. If no provision were madefor exhaust of air from the air chamber during the initial stage of therearward movement of the lbarrel from its rest position, the

air in the chamber would be compressed only relatively slowly and thepellet would be blown weakly from the gun.

The toy represented in Fig. l is adapted to be connected to a housecircuit of alternating current. To this end, a passage 61 is formed inthe base and through the standard 19. A cable 62 containing a pluralityof conductors extends through this passage and out through the tubularpin 22 for electrical connection in an instrument and terminal box 63fixed on the floor of the turret. The cable 62 includes a cord 64 and amulti-conductor cable. 65 leading 'to a switch box 66. The cord 64 has aconventional plug v67 on its free end for connection in a conventionaloutlet by conductor 73 to the rectifier 71, which in turn is connectedwith a lead 74 to the switch box 66. The other end of the secondary coilof the transformer is connected by conductor 75 to a lead 76, alsoleading to the switch box 66.

In the switch box there are two reversing switches 78 and 79 and a pushbutton switch S0. Thetwo reversing switches 78 and 79 are connected inparallel relationship between the leads 74 and 76.l The switch 78 hastwo terminals thereof to which leads 82 and 83 are connected. y"Theseleads pass through the terminal box 63 to the reversible motor 26 forcontrolling the traverse of the turret. Two terminals of the reversingswitch 79 are counected by conductors 84 and 85 through the terminal box63 to the reversible motor 34 which controls the degree of elevation ofthe gun.

The push button switch has one terminal thereof` connected to the lead74. nIts other terminal is connected by lead 86 through the terminal boxto one end of the solenoid coil 48. The circuit through the coil iscompleted by a conductor 87 which is connected in the terminal box 63 toconductor 75` of the secondary coil of the transformer. The leads 74,76, 82, 83, 84, 85, and 86 are assembled together to form the cable 65.

From the above it will be clear that closing, the switch 78 in onedirection will cause current to pass to the motor 26, thereby energizingthe motor and causing the shaft 25 thereof to rotate in one direction,driving the worm gear 24 and worm wheel 21 to rotate the turret on thestandard 19 in a rst direction. Closing of the switch 78 to the oppositeset of terminals thereof will cause reversal of the direction of therotation of the shaft 25, thereby reversing the direction of thetraverse of the turret. Likewise, closing of the reversing switch 79 ina rst and then a second direction lwill cause reversal of direction ofthe shaft 33 of motor 34 for elevating or depressing the gun 11 asdesired. When it is desired to lire the gun, an operator will close theswitch 80, thereby energizing the coil 48 to move the barrel rearwardlyin the gun-breech and thus propel the pellet 44 from the gun, asdescribed above. The parallel arrangement of the switches 78, 79 and 80permits the simultaneous elevation and traversing of the gun. Also,since the coil switch 80 is in parallel arrangement with the twomotor'switches, the coil may be energized to re the gun at any time.

Referring now to Fig. 6 of the drawing, there is shown a constructionVby which pellets may be dropped successively into the gunbore followingeach firing of the gun. To this end, the gun barrel 14' has a shortlongitudinally extending recess 91 formed therein proximate itsbreechend. This recess communicates with the gun bore 41' through aninclined passage 92. The gun-breech 28 has an opening 93 formed in thewall thereof rearwardly of its solenoid coil for receiving' a tube 94,having a cap 95, the tube serving as a magazine for holding a pluralityof pellets 44. From the tube the pellet 44. drops into the recess 91when the recess becomes positioned directly under the tube, and thisalignment of recess and tube occurs when the gun barrel has movedrearwardly in the gunbreech causing pellet 44 to be iblown out throughthe muzzle end of the barrel as explained above. The then recoil of thegun barrel forwardly in the gun-breech causes pellet 41', due to theinertia of such pellet, to travel relatively rearwardly in the recess tothe passage 92 and thence into position for being expelled from the gunbore when next the switch 80 is closed. The recoil mechanism pre ventsrotation of the barrel in the gun-breech, to the end that the recesswill remain in upwardly facing direction.

In Fig. 8 of the drawing, a toy pistol, designated generally byreference numeral 100, is shown in a form embodying the invention. Itcomprises a hollow stock 101 having a hollow pistol grip 102 forcontaining a conventional dry cell 103. Mounted co-axially in the bodyof the gun stock and secured as by means of a screw 104,

lis a `barrel and gun-breech assembly, generally similar in is slidable.A solenoid coil 109 is wrapped around the gun-breech, and a tubularplunger 110 is xed around the barrel for movement axially into the coilwhen the coil is energized. The muzzle end of the barrel extends outthrough an opening 112 in the front wall of the gun stock. Also, thereis a barrel recoil assembly 113 for the pistol, such assembly beingsubstantially similar" to that of the toy cannon.

asses-'3a The pistol has a pivotally mounted trigger 115 to which aresilient conductor 116 is xed and electrically counected by a lead 117to one end of the coil 109. The conductor 116 constitutes a contactelement of a switch for selectively closing the electrical circuit tothe coil upon pulling of the trigger. The other contact element of suchswitch is constituted of a spring strip 118 mounted on the underside ofthe breech structure 108 and engageable with the center post 119 of thedry cell 103. Another spring strip 120 engages the bottom of the drycell and is connected through lead 121 to the other end of the coil 109.

To re the pistol, a pellet 12.3 is dropped into the muz` zle end of thegun bore and the pellet comes to rest against the restriction in thebreech end of the barrel. The trigger 115 is then pulled rearwardly inthe direction of the pistol grip to close the switch (116-118). When theswitch is closed, current will ow from the dry cell to the solenoid coil109, thereby producing a magnetic field in and around the coil whichpulls the plunger 110 into the coil to a position of minimum reluctance.Rearward movement of the plunger and barrel compresses the air in thechamber behind the barrel and forces the air rst out through the portsin the gun-breech and then out through the gun bore to blow the pellet123 from the pistol. Upon release of the trigger, a spring 124 moves thespring strip conductor 116 away from the contact element 11S to open theelectrical circuit and allow recoil of the barrel forwardly in thegun-breech.

- While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I haveconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of myinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent structures.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A gun comprising an elongate barrel formed of nonmagnetic materialhaving a breech end, a muzzle end and an open passage extendinglongitudinally therethrough, a breech member having a cylindrical cavityformed therein, said cavity being open at `one end thereof to theoutside surface of the breech member, the barrel being slidable in thebreech end portion thereof axially in the cavity, the barrel having atleast a longitudinal length of its breech end portion conforming incross section in the outside surface thereof substantially to the crosssection of the cavity so that the barrel slides snugly in the cavity tocause air within the cavity to pass out through the barrel passage whenthe barrel is moved in a direction inwardly in the cavity, a plungerformed of magnetic material integral with the barrel, and a coil in thebreech member around the barrel, the coil being connectable to a sourceof electric power and being arranged in the breech member with relationto the plunger to cause the barrel to move inwardly of the cavity as aresult of the plunger being pulled in a direction toward a position ofminimum reluctance in the coil when the coil is electrically energized.

2. A gun comprising an elongate barrel formed of nonmagnetic materialhaving a breech end, a muzzle end, and an open passage extendinglongitudinally therethrough, a breech member having a cylindrical cavityformed therein, said cavity having a bottom end and being open at theother end thereof to the outside surface of the breech member, thebarrel being cylindrical in the breech end portion thereof, said breechend portion having a cross section which is substantially equal in areaand conguration to the cross section of the cavity so that the breechend portion of the barrel is slidable axially in the cavity and iitssnugly enough in the cavity to cause air within the cavity to pass outthrough the barrel passage when the barrel is moved in a directioninwardly in the cavity, an elongate plunger formed of magnetic materialintegral with the barrel and extending in a direction lon'- gitud'mallyof the barrel, an elongate coil `in the breech member around the barreland connectable to a source of electric power, the center of the plungerbeing spaced from the breech end of the barrel by a rst distance, thecenter of thecoil being spaced from the bottom end of the cavity by asecond distance, said first distance being at least as great as thesecond distance whereby when the barrel is positioned in the cavity withthe barrel breech end spaced from the bottom end of the cavity to delinean air chamber in the cavity, the barrel will be moved inwardly of thecavity as a result of energizing of the coil which pulls the plungerinwardly of the coil toward a position of minimum reluctance.

3. A gun comprising an elongate barrel formed of nonmagnetic materialhaving a breech end, a muzzle end and a straight and open ended passageextending longitudinally therein for receiving a projectile, the outsidesurface of the barrel adjacent the breech end thereof being cylindrical,stop means in said passage adjacent the breech end for preventingmovement of said projectile out from the breech end of the barrel, aplunger of magnetic metal xed to and extending in a direction around thebarrel and being of predetermined length measured longitudinally of thebarrel, said plunger being spaced from the breech end of the barrel; anda breech member having a forward end, a rearward end and a cylindricalcavity formed therein, the cavity being open in the forward end andclosed in the rearward end, the area and contiguration of the cavity incross-section being substantially equal to that of the cylindricalbreech end portion of the barrel whereby the barrelbreech end portion isslidable longitudinally in the cavity, a coil in the breech member andextending around the cavity adjacent the forward end portion thereof,said coil being arranged for connec-l tion to `asource of electricpower, whereby when the coil is energized it will pull the plunger in adirection toward a position of minimum reluctance in the coil thus toslide the-breech end portion of the barrel rearwardly in the cavity.

4. A gun comprising an elongate barrel formed of non-magnetic materialhaving a breech end, a muzzle end and a bore extending longitudinallytherethrough for receiving a projectile, the barrel being cylindricaland circular in cross section in a portion thereof adjacent its breechend,rstop means in said bore adjacent the breech end thereofforfpreventing movement of said projectile out from the breech end, atubular plunger of magnetic material in the barrel around the bore, thecenter of the plunger being spaced from the breech end of the barrel bya rst distance, a breech member having a cylindrical cavity of circularcross section formed therein, the cavity having a bottom end and aforward end, the breech end portion of the barrel extending into thecavity and being snugly slidable axially therein, an elongate coil inthe breech member extending longitudinally around the barrel, the centerof the coil being spaced from the bottom end of the cavity by a seconddistance, said rst distance being at least as great as the seconddistance, recoil means operatively associated with the barrel and breechmember normally biasing the barrel in a direction outwardly from thecavity to a ready-to-re position, the breech end of the barrel defininga forward end of an air chamberwithin the cavity from which air isexpelled through the bore when the coil is electrically energized tomove the plunger inwardly of the coil in a direction toward a positionof minimum reluctance.

5. A gun according to claim 4 in which the breech end of the bore isconical.

6. A gun according to claim 4 in which the breech member has air portformed therein in communication with the forward end portion of saidchamber.

7. A gun acording to claim 4 in which the barrel has a longitudinallyextending recess formed therein, the recess being open in the outsidesurface of the barrel, and the 7 barrel havingk a passageway formedtherein interconnectl ing said `recess and bore for passage ofprojectiles into the bore.

r8. A gun comprising an elongate barrel having a breech end, a muzzleend and a bore extending axially therethrough, a tubular breech memberhaving a cylindrical wall defining a cavity therein, said cavity havinga forward end and a rearward end, a bottom wall extending transverselyof the axis of the cavity to define said rearward end, said forward endbeing open, the barrel being of greater length than the cavity and beingaxially snugly slidable in thecavity whereby an air chamber is dened inthe cavity between the breech end of the barrel and the bottom wall ofthe cavity, recoil means on the barrel and breech member normallybiasing the barrel to 'a ready-to-re position in which the breech end ofthe barrel is spaced from the bottom wall of the cavity, solenoid meansin the breech member and barrel for moving the barrel in a directiontoward the bottom wall of the cavity upon energzation ofthe solenoidmeans, the wall of the breech member having a port formed therein andextending therethrough and spaced from said bottom wall to accommodateflow of air from the air chamber through said port and to the outside ofthe breech member during the initial stage of movement of the barrelinto the cavity.

9. A gun comprising an elongate barrel having a breech end, a muzzle endand a bore extending axially therethrough, a tubular breech memberhaving a cylindrical cavity formed therein, said cavity having a forwardend and a rearward end, a bottom wall extending trans` versely of theaxis of the cavity defining the rearward end, saidforward end beingopen, the barrel being of greater length than the cavity and beingaxially slidable in the cavity whereby an air chamber is defined in thecavity between the breech Iend of the barrel and the bottom wall of thecavity, recoil means on the barrel and breech member normally biasingthe barrel to a readyto-re position in which the breech end of thebarrel is spaced from the bottom wall of the cavity to dene an airchamber in the cavity behind the barrel, solenoid means in the breechmember and barrel for moving the barrel in a direction toward the bottomwall of the cavity upon energzation of the solenoid means, a projectilereceiving recess formed in the outside surface of the barrel andcommunicating with said bore adjacent the breech end end of the bore forpreventing a projectile from sliding out from the breech end of thebore, and magazine means on the breech member for receiving a supply ofprojec* tiles, said'breech memberhaving an opening formed thereinlocated for passage of a projectile from the magazine means to saidrecess when the barrel is 'in ready-toiire position.

l0. A toy'gun comprising a hollow gun stock having a forward end andarearward end, an opening formed in said forward end, a tubularbreech'member having a cylindrical cavity formed therein, saidcavityhavingy a forward end and a rearward end, the forward end of thecavity being open, a bottom wall extending transversely of the axis ofthe cavity to define the rearward end of the cavity, Vthe breech memberbeing fixed in the stock with the open end of the cavity facing towardsaid open'- ing in the stock, the cavity being axially aligned-with saidopening in the stock, an elongate barrel having a breech end, a muzzle'end and a bore extending longitudinally therethrough, the barrel beingsnugly slidable longitudinally in the cavity, recoil means on the barreland breech member normally biasing the barrel to a ready-to-ire positionin which the breech end of the barrel is spaced from lthe bottom wall ofthe cavity to dene an air chamber in the cavity behind the barrel,solenoid means in the breech member and barrel for moving the barrel ina direction toward the bottom wall of the cavity upon energzation of thesolenoid means, a source of electrical energy in the stock, circuitmeans connecting said source to'said solenoid means, and a triggerswitch in said circuit meansV for selectively closing and opening thecircuit means. n

1l. A toy gun according to claim 10 in which said stock is formed as apistol and the muzzle end of the -barrel projects out through saidopening in the stock.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 115,638Quackenbush Iune 6, 1871 996,331 Hall June 27,V 1911 1,343,127 HallinanJune 8,1920 2,069,821 Douglas Feb. 9, 1937 2,568,432 Cook Sept. 18, 19512,574,408 Moe Nov. 6, 1951 2,587,687 Beyers Mar. 4, 1952

